come to find out and know what are our special Sins 2. What means are to be used for the Mortification of them As to the former of these I shall give you my poor thoughts thus Tho' we have in our Hearts by Nature that which is the Seed and Principle of all Sin and tho' the unregenerate are under the Power and the Dominion of every Lust yet they yea and the godly themselves who sincerely desire and endeavour to disown and renounce all Sin yet even they as well as the former have some one sin or more which may in a peculiar manner be called their iniquity their special sin And in order to the discovery what this sin or sins are I think 1. Our work lieth with God and 2 With our own Hearts and Consciences and so 1. We must be very sincere and impornate with God in Prayer that he would please to discover and make them known unto us The heart is deep the Deceitfulness and Wickedness of it exceeding great who can know it Jer. 17.9 We are naturally prone more easily to spy out Faults in others then in our selves and the great Traitor our special sin lieth closest of all and while the Devil and our Flesh can hinder it we shall not find him out And therefore we have need to pray with Job 13. chap. 23. Make me to know my Transgression and my Sin 2. When this is done we must seriously endeavour to bring our Hearts to the test by some such Questions as these 1. What Sins are they that we are most strongly enclined unto and of all others most loath to leave or part with our right Eye and right Hand sins these are our spiritual Sins Mat. 5.29 30. The young Man that came to our Lord Mat. 19. When he brought him to that trying Point about his Master Sin which appears to be coveteousness or worldliness the news of parting with that makes him go away sorrowful he rather choosing to take his leave of an only Saviour 2. What sins are they that we are most frequently and violently tempted to the Temptations unto which we have least Power to resist and so consequently are oftest foiled by The Devil studies this Point more I am afraid then many of us do I mean it mostly of my self and when he hath by diligent Observation found out which way our Inclinations carry us most strongly he suits his baits thereto And if we observe we shall find his strongest batteries and fiercest Assaults to be on this our blind our weakest side and so we may observe that in these Assaults we ordinarily come off worst many times halting if sometimes we get not broken bones methinks this head is clear in it self 3. What Sins are they which we find our Hearts most prone to think of even when outward Objects are not before us to prompt us to such thoughts What Sins are they that the thoughts that come most freely and immediately from our Hearts are employed about Sometimes these Sins will appear at the Mouth For out of the abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaketh Mat. 12.34 And as one of Jobs Friends chargeth him Thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity But I think this is a more certain and constant Sign For as a man thinketh in his heart even so is he 4. What Sins are they that we find our selves prone to entertain in our Thoughts with greatest Pleasure and Delight What sin is it that we are apt to conceive the greatest Sweetness in we may mark him out or that 's he Tho' sin is an evil and bitter thing in it self and in its Effects and tho' it be so to the real apprehension of a Sincere Heart yet in spite of it the Flesh will be contradicting it herein especially in relation to its great Master Lust 5. What Sins are they that we are prone to make most Provision for that we may fulfil the Desires and Lusts thereof Tho' others will be craving and e're while crying feed me and feed me yet if we observe we shall find we have the most frequent impetuous imperious calls from our Master Sins The Flesh will be from time to time prompting us most of all to plot and contrive and drudge for them These will crave and expect the largest allowance or Benjamins Mess and will be most unwearied and impudent in it 6. What Sins are they which Conscience is want to give us the severest Checks for when it is at at any time soundly awakened either by the Ministry of the Word or under some smart Affliction Conscience will speak and strike home at such a time and then it is most likely to hit upon the right vein Act. 2.37 Gen. 42.21 And they said one to another we are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his Soul when he besought us and we would not here therefore is this distress come upon us Now to the second part of the question which indeed contains in it the harder part of our work 2. Having found out what are our special Sins what means are to be used for the Mortification of them 1. Prayer is one Special means to be improv'd here whatever spiritual work we take in hand one great End of it lieth with God And a Christian will fight best upon his Knees Hereby we may engage God and his sufficient grace on our side and so we may groundedly hope for Victory we have the Apostle Paul's course and success here 1 Cor. 12.7 8 9. But 1. We must see that in our Confessions here we be particular full free and open hearted with God we must open our wound if we would have cure while we are for hiding and concealing them nothing will be done as it thereby appears we have no mind it should 2. We must see we lay the greatest load of Sorrow upon them and thereby endeavour to get them more imbittered to us 3. We must see we be very sincere and very fervent in our desires after that Grace which alone can enable us to do the work they will not regard the biggest the hardest Words that we can give them and they would but make a mock at such striplings as we are if we take the Field without our Captain if ever we give them any killing blow it must be by God's strengthning our Arm and therefore we must not Pray as if we feared least the Lord should take us at our word or least he should do it too soon or like those that are indifferent in the Matter seeing if they die not by our hands our life must go for their life 2. We should improve the Word of God here which is the Sword of the Spirit turning the Edge the Point of it against our special Sins in some Sense we may allude to the King of Syria's Charge to his Officers 1 King 22.31 Fight neither with small nor great save only with these princely Lusts I mean that we make it our particular Care
be more in our thoughts is the Prayer of your poor Brother weak in Grace and low in Comfort I. B. LETTER IX To S. E. January 13. 1684 5. Dear S. I Receiv'd your's and am glad to hear of the removal of that afflictive Distemper you have of late been under a mercy I have been often seeking to God for for which I am with you obliged and shall endeavour to bless the Lord I am rejoyced to hear you are so much upon the praising pin O that I could but learn that heavenly Note But O what a strange lumpish Heart have I I talk of Heaven Of an Eternity to be spent in the love and joyful Praises of God and a dear Redeemer Truly it is a shame while my Heart is so backward to and unskilful in this blessed Work O had Heaven no better singers then I am or am like to make what poor harmony what harsh melody would there be among them But for the eternal Praise of the great Jehovah it shall not be thus many times when I hear the pretty Bird's singing forth his Praises in their kind I am ashamed of my self I am generally secure and senseless sometimes sad but seldom joyful 1st Oh how secure and dead I am many times I have scarce any Sense or feeling of Spiritual things upon my Heart I have such a senseless benumed Conscience through Custom in Sin that I feel little of the weight and burthen of it or of my need of a Saviour alass while others are joyfully prasing God and a dear Redeemer I have need to pray for a more awakned Conscience and for more Sorrow for Sin 2dly When my Conscience doth begin to speak home and my Heart doth a little relent then either my Sorrow is slighty and superficial not bearing a proportion to my Sins O how many Tears I have need to weep over as not coming from a Heart thoroughly sensible of Sin Or else I am ready to be dejected but it is more rarely thus with me I mostly err on the other hand But then 3dly When shall you find me in a joyful thankful praising frame The Lord hath laid me though an unworthy wretch under many obligations I do not want Matter whereof to compose my Song but alass I want a musical Heart well I yet hope that in Heaven if the Lord will bring me thither at last I hope then he will change my Note That I shall then have no more cause to complain of this Heart of mine but shall then with an innumerable Company of Angels and Saints sing a new Song to him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever Amen I am your Loving Brother I. B. LETTER X. To S. E. February 5. 1684 5. Dear S. I Receiv'd your's and return you thanks for it and for your I do not doubt hearty Prayer for me for spiritual Joy but O that you would help me to pray more Sorrow into my Heart first you tell me I know what they shall reap that sow in tears to wit Joy But if that be Scripture as I know it is I may expect but a small Crop not that I think my Tears can wash away the Guilt of the least Sin or merit the least favourable Glance of God's Countenance but Repentance of which Godly sorrow is one part is a necessary Qualification O therefore pray for more of that and herein you will exceedingly befriend me I am afraid you are exceedingly mistaken in me I do not wish you so ill as you wish your self to be in my State and Frame Sure I am if you did believe the Discription I have given you of it which I do again own and acknowledge to be worse then I did or can discribe to you you would not wish so however if I do think worse of my self then I should which yet I am confident I do not yet sure I am you err more on the other hand in thinking better of me then I deserve and be not troubled at my Complaints O will you not give me leave to Complain Was I under any outward Trouble I am sure you would and that you would gladly endeavour to help me too and will you not give me leave to Complain of my Spiritual wants and burthens What want Grace and not Complain Be so doged with such domineering Lusts and hanted with such impetuous Temptations as I am and not Complain Give me leave and will you not do what you can to help me O if you love me help me down with my Lusts by your Prayers but I will not longer detain you I am your Loving Brother I. B. LEETTER XI To S. E. March 8. 1684 5. Dear S. I Receiv'd your's but have time to write but a line or two I was sorry to hear of the return of your Ague but am glad to hear it hath left you again O that all fatherly Corrections might leave us better then they find us I saw my F. lately and was glad to here there was hopes of your getting home I would not have you think I forget you as to that business you hint at I know not how to advise you my self but I shall endeavour to pray for you to him that can however one thing I will say acknowledge the Lord in all your ways then take his Word for it that he will direct your Steps I am ready to think from some Circumstances that there may be something of Providence in it but let us wait a while and see what the Lord will do I am your Loving Brother I.B. LETTER XII To S. E. April 9. 1685. Dear S. I Receiv'd your's and was much perplexed in my Mind not understanding your meaning in some Passages of it as to your coming home I cannot but desire it and methinks it is plainly your Duty considering the Circumstances that you are in and considering your poor Parents how crazy they are and in what need they stand of your help Dear S. have a care of giving way to melancholy discontented Thoughts remember former Experiences that you have had of God's goodness have you not many a notable one I believe you have if you do but think on them I remember an Expression of my Father old Sins and old Mercies should not be forgotten we should not give way to any more Sorrow for Sin than we can give a good Account of much less then for any outward Trouble and what matter is it if the Lord should mark us out for Crosses and Troubles here if he will but mark us out for himself mark us out for Heaven O Sister all will be well in the End How short is this Life if we should have nothing else but Trouble here Then comes Heaven the day is at hand and then all is forgotten O nothing but joy nothing but joy in Heaven remember that Sister the thoughts of Heaven are my own and as thy own what would such Thoughts do Would they not make all our Troubles here
search it out this is one main Duty which both God's Word and his Rod points us too Lam. 3.40 Let us search and try our ways 5. Our next duty is a free and hearty Confession of a judging our selves for and deep humiliation under the sense of those sins we discover whereby we have provoked him This the Lord stands upon Lev. 26.40 If they shall Confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their Fathers with the Trespass wherewith they have trespassed against me and that also they have walked contrary unto me Jer. 3.13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God Hos 5.15 I will go and return unto my place until they acknowledge their Offence This way we are to give Glory unto him Josh 7.19 What large Confessions do we meet with in Scripture made by the People of God when his hand hath been upon them When the Lord is testifying against us and laying load upon us in his Judgments we should take his part and this way be laying load upon our selves tho' indeed in another sense this is the next way to ease our selves of the burden I confessed and thou forgavest saith David so 2 Chron. 7.14 If my People shall humble themselves 1 Pet. 5.6 Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God When the Lord is laying us low by his Judgments our work is not to struggle with him but to fall at his Foot to lay our Hearts low for our sins 6. Our Sins thus discovered and confessed must be forsaken we must turn from them unto him that smites us Without this the former will neither please God nor any thing avail us we must take things as God hath laid them together If my People shall humble themselves and turn from their evil ways Let us search and try our ways and turn unto the Lord This is the great Errand his Judgments come to us upon These things I think do not need so much to be proved as to be urged and pressed home upon our hearts O that we could but effectually do that It is sin that hath bread the difference between God and us by them we have been fighting against him by them we have provoked this long suffering God of ours unto his strange work and now that his terrible anger is thus kindled there is but one way for us to take that is to submit to lay down our Arms unless we are resolved to try it out with him Nay but let the Pot-sheards strive with the Potsheards of the Earth but woe to us if thus we strive with our Maker who ever hardned himself against God and prospered We must therefore cast away our Transgressions from us and with indignation say to our sins as Ephraim to his Idols get ye hence 7. We must seek unto God by Earnest extraordinary Prayer joyned with fasting It is his will that we should thus by Prayer enquire of him at all times and for all things that we need and that he hath promised But especially this is our Duty in such times as these Call upon me in the Day of Trouble This the Lord expects Hos 5.15 In their Affliction they will seek me early And ordinary Prayer must not serve the turn The Lord looks for early earnest Prayer And so that we spend more time then ordinary in the Duty Not that the Lord is wrought upon by the length of our Prayers but the work that is to be done upon our own Hearts ordinarily requires it And this joyned with fasting which God's plain and pressing Commands and the practice of his People thereupon in all Ages doth sufficiently prove particular instances of either of which I think are needless here 8. We must renew our Covenant with God and by solemn vows bind our Hearts to their good behaviour for the future we had need to take our Hearts at all the advantages we can and at such times we have them at an advantage We too frequently and sadly experience it how easily our Corruptions break through our strongest Purposes and Resolutions they are but like Sampsons green wit hs to him But now solemn Vows and frequent renewing of our Covenants provoided we be serious in it these are observed to be good means to keep our treacherous Hearts from starting back Tho' here we must be careful we do not ensnare Conscience in matters of indifferency or impossibility This hath been and still is the practice of Gods People Neh. 38. And because of all this we make a sure Covenant and write it and our Princes Levites and Priests seal unto it which we have at large in the 10. Chapter And so we find David speaking of the Vows that he had made in his distress Psal 66.13 14. 9. We must be careful to pay our Vows by a resolved cleaving to the Lord whatever comes upon us Vows and Covenants solemnly renewed lay us under further Obligations Tho' its true the Lord hath the highest Authority to command and we are bound to obedience anticedently to any such acts of our own by Vertue of his most Supream and Absolute right in us and Sovereignty over us resulting therefrom yet it is as true that we cannot after such solemn Transactions by sin depart from God at so cheap a rate as before no our guilt and his displeasure will thereby be the greater and herein if the wise man's judgment may pass we act the part of egregious fools Ecles 5.4 5. When thou hast vowed a Vow unto God defer not to pay for the Lord hath no pleasure in fools pay that which thou hast vowed better it is that thou shouldest not vow then that thou should'st vow and not pay Yea we must thus cleave unto God all his Judgments notwithstanding They indeed yield us a good reason why we should leave sin but none why we should leave him but on the contrary why we should cleave more closely to him Come on us what will it should be the care of our Souls that we may be able to say with the Church Psal 44.17.18 19. All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined from thy way Tho' thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons and covered us with the Shadow of Death 10. We must steadfastly hope and trust in him according to his word He is styled the hope of Israel in the time of trouble Jer. 14.8 Thou art my hope in the day of evil Jer. 17.17 We must hope and trust in him and in his Promises even when his Providences seem in our shallow apprehensions to run never so cross to them we must hold to it as an inviolable truth in spite of all that sense or Satan may object against it that if the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it his hand shall make it good It is recorded of Abraham that against hope he believed in
in Religion the thing that makes us Godliness bath the Promise of the Life that now is whatever they think it is certainly the surest and the next way to be Rich here if the Lord see it good for one to be so and God be thanked as he hath formerly so he still doth honour Religion in the face of the World by making some that are sincerely yea exemplarily Good very considerably Great in the World but however it doth certainly bring the best Riches along with it not the poorest Saint in the World but he hath that which will more then weigh down all the Riches of an Empire its true he hath not so much lumber as many of them have but for all that he hath Riches which cannot be told in a pearless Pearl in precious Jewels in good Bonds and be it so that we are most of us as Poor as they would have or make us and may live under much Obscurity and be little taken Notice of in the World unless it be in a way of Contempt and Reproach yet let them know we scorn the Motion of changing Estates with the best Man of them all but they will never give Credit to us or think that we really believe our selves if they see us as discontented and uneasy in and with our outward Conditions as hot and eager in our pursuit after these little trifling Vanities and as much dispirited dejected and heart broken under any our outward Afflictions at any our worldly Losses Crosses and Disappointments as they themselves in such like cases are 4. As a creditable honourable thing they think that to be called Religious under those soul dirty Terms the World hath put upon it is a real and an intollerable Reproach if we go to hear these pious godly Ministers and become serious O then say they every one almost will despise spite and trample on us No no you are mistaken what says wise King Solomon in this Case Exalt her that is wisdom and she shall promote thee She shall bring thee to Honour when thou dest embrace her she shall give to thine Head an Ornament of Grace a Crown of Glory shall she deliver to thee The Lord is an Honour unto such as some render that 1 Pet. 2.7 These are they whom the King will honour and they are honoured by the wisest and best Men upon Earth yea by the highest principallities and powers in Heaven nay they have an honourable Testimony in the very Hearts and Consciences of the worst of Men their greatest Enemies so far as they are Men and not turned into meer Bruits and as for our parts let them in our Life and Carriage see it clearly and abundantly that we are not ashamed of our blessed Master nor ashamed of Prayer or of any Part of his Work which is truly honourable both considered in it self and as it is his But let them see we are of the old Apostles mind who when they would make a high and holy Brag what say they I Paul a Servant of Jesus Christ Peter a Servant of Jesus Christ and so others of them 5. And lastly Let us invite them in by endeavouring in our Lives to recommend Religion to them as a chearful pleasant thing if Religion be real and practicable and some way profitable and creditable yet however for pleasure they think they are the Men and us they look upon as a company of poor sad and melancholly People and so are afraid to cast in their Lot among us now let us endeavour to rectify this great Mistake of theirs also by letting them see that wisdoms ways are Ways of Pleasantness that it is no rare thing with us to find that sweet delight satisfaction and joy in the views and embraces of our Precious though by them despised Jesus which they never did or can find in any things whatsoever which they account their topping Enjoyments though truly where Persons are under those bodily Distempers which much encline them to dulness and sadness I think as the Lord doth so we and others should give grains of allowance but such should be especially afflicted with and strive against such Distempers upon this as one main account as some may thence take occasion to think more frightfully of Religion and such should be very desirous that others did but know what is many times at their Hearts even when they may think there is a great deal of sorrow and heaviness in their Looks but especially that they did but know what there is at the heart of Religion and be it known unto them even to the greatest pleasure Mungers of them all that we have those delights such pure solid satisfying and lasting Delights and Joys as they have none for the truth of which we are ready to pawn our Souls and all that ever we are worth in the World yea and moreover to give them leave to be judges in the case themselves if so be they will but come and make a serious tryal of Roligion as far as we have done and yet there are far greater Matters still which many others have attained unto which we are in the prospect and pursuit of QUESTION X. How are we to manage our Spiritual watch IN general I Answer we must manage it after a godly Sort that is in such a manner as that the great Ends of it may be best attained by us Scil. God's glory together with the safety preservation and salvation of our own and others Souls More particularly 1. We must manage it obedientially the Lord hath given us many express Commands for this Duty Matth. 26.41 1 Cor. 16.13 2 Tim. 4.5 and in many other Places now it is not enough barely to do the thing commanded but we must do it in Obedience to the Divine Command do it because commanded we must also do it with respect to the Manner of it as it is commanded So 2. We must manage this Duty universally watch in all things so the Command runs in one place And here 1. God is in some sort the proper Object of our watch And that 1. In what he saith 2. In what he doth 3. Particularly in what Answers he is pleased at any time to give into our Prayers 1. In what he saith we should heedfully observe take notice what he speaketh to us in his Word by the inward Motions of his Spirit by his Ministers or by any of our Christian Brethren or by our Enemies yea though they may be wicked Men for sometimes the Lord may and doth speak to us by them though they think not so whenever or however the Lord speaks we should endeavour to watch so as to have our Ears ready open so as that whatever the Lord speaks we may have it presently like a Person that 's hearkning to one who is much his Superiour when about to speak something that doth vastly concern him whose mind doth as it were hang upon the Speakers lips so that the Word is hardly got well out
dividing Land's deciding Controversies c. see Acts 13.19 Neh. 11.1 And this is a proper means to prevent or put an end to Contention when Persons rest satisfied in God's Determination Prov. 18.18 The lot causeth contention to cease To say nothing of magical Lot's which are certainly unlawful our Question is about loosory Lot's used in Games and such a one it is as I think must be carried in the Negative That is whether you may lawfully appeal to the special Providence of God to determine whether your Game shall go for or against you hath this no appearance of Evil in it Is it not a thing condemned by the same Law which condemns vain Oath 's Some think it is so whose Judgments you and I ought to Reverence but suppose it should not be a taking God's Name in Vain which yet I see no reason to grant I would enquire Q. 2. Can you seriously and heartily Pray to God to bless your Card's to you Do you or dare you use any ejaculatory Prayer to God upon this Account at your enterance upon or in your Game On the contrary have you not some secret misgivings in your Mind 's as to God's Approbation of it Which brings to my Thoughts a Story I have read of a Poor Man who had stolen a Calf for the Necessity of his Family He got part of it prepared for eating But when he came to crave God's blessing on it as his use was his Conscience smote him so that he could not do it Sure I am there is no lawful Recreation but one may warrantably and comfortably beg God's blessing upon it Q. 3. Doth this Game dispose and fit you for the better discharge of your Duty The most innocent and harmless Recreation is sinful to me if I use it meerly to delight and gratify my carnal Fancy Without doubt duty is the end of Recreation well I will suppose you to intend a right End I ask now have you found this to be a proper Means for the attainment of it Or on the contrary doth not manifold and sad Experience tell you that it hath much indisposed you for any holy religious Exercise as Prayer Meditation c. And hath it not sometimes unfitted you for the duties of your particular Callings Q. 4. Is it not a great Time waster You know Time is a very precious thing we must do great Matters in Time or we are undon for ever and we have but a very little of it only this little inch in present Possession is our's and that flies away from us too while I am writing and you are reading it is marching away with winged speed to the great Creator of all things to declare what usage it had with us Now you know when we have but a little of any thing of great Worth and Use to us we take it very ill to be robbed of it then why are we not more concerned about our Time which is more precious then Gold Now how many Hour 's this Thief hath robbed you of More then all the World could purchase for you was it at your command it should be a sad Reflection to you and me that we should have so strangly squandered away so much of our Time which can never be recalled and now for our future Benefit let us soberly debate the Case with our Selves whether the great Concernments of our Souls in order to another Life doth not call for all the Time we can well spare from our necessary Employments here And will you the next time you are tempted to spend it at Card's but ask Conscience this Question is time of no more worth to me who may be so near to Eternity and must give so strict an Account of my Hour's Q. 5. Is not this Game made the Exercise of Covetousness Do you not play with a design and desire of gaining that from your Neighbour which you give him nothing for Is not this couching And what think you by that Q. 6. Is it not an occasion of much idle foolish Talk of whole clusters of words about every Cast and every Card almost And doth it not frequently excite your Passions and create unhappy Quarrels and Differences I join these two together because generally they are one at the heels of another now what say you to this What think you of idle Words and sinful Passions must we not give an Account for these things Objection Object But here you will its like be ready to object and say you go all this while upon a mistake we look upon it and use it as a lawful Recreation we do not spend so much time in it as you think of and we play only for a Glass of Ale which we are as willing to loose as win And we are not for quarelling Answ If it be indeed so as you say I am glad of it and so far you deserve Commendation in it if you can clear your Selves from what I have been hinting at I fear there are but few Gamesters that are your Fellows But granting this I have one Question in this Case to ask that is Quest Whether those you play with be not guilty of some if not of many of those things which makes the Game unlawful to them Whether they may not justly be charged with Covetousness sinful Pleasure or Passion c. And if so whether you can clear your Selves while you take part with and encourage them by your Example Object Are we bound to keep all other Men from sinning Answ I answer you are bound to do your best towards it and to take great heed that you no way contribute to their Sin Object But here you may farther object and say must we forbear every thing that another will make an occasion of his Sin At this rate we must neglect a great part of our Duty Answ To this I answer though you may not neglect a Duty to prevent anothers being scandalized or tempted to Sin yet sure you may omit an idle Sport and an unnecessary Pastime You may guess what the Apostle Paul's Judgment would have been in this Matter from 1 Cor. 8.13 If he would forbear eating Flesh so long as he lived rather then cause his Brother to offend Should not your Sports be subject to the like Charity Q. 7. Who are they that are fondest of and most adicted to this Game Are they not generally the prophanest Sort of Men or the looser Sort of Professors Are not the most serious strict and heavenly Christians generally very suspicious of and much weaned from it I deny not but there may be serious Christians that use this Game some that I have known and do know But how do they use it Not at the ordinary rate sure if they do they are equally yea in some Sense more culpable than others and I would farther enquire here whether the greater part of judicious and pious Ministers and Christians be not against it I am perswaded upon Examination it would be found
so Q. 8. Can it be any good Sign if you can recreate your Selves with that which is so great a grief and burthen to your Ministers and many of your fellow Christians because they look upon it as sinful O! How tender should we be in this Point How fearful should we be of grieving or offending any of our Brethren for whom Christ died He is very tender of them and so much the more as he seeth them tender of his Honour and grieved and offended at Sin whether in themselves or others Q. 9. Tell me truly how doth your Card's relish with you when you are in the most serious Frame When you find the great things of another World impressed upon your Spirits in the most fresh and lively Manner I verily think if I should fall to Card's one serious Thought of Death and Judgment one sober Glance at my eternalState would spoile my Sport how is it with you in this Matter If you must needs play on will you make trial the next time Q. 10. To add no more whether will the remembrance of so many Hours spent at Card's be pleasing or tormenting to you when you come to die And whether will it be a comfortable or a sad hearing from your Judge when you come to give up your Accounts we must account as strictly for our Time as for any other Talent we are entrusted with and the Day which God hath prefixed for this solemn and weighty Affair is drawing nigh Death may be upon us before we are aware and when we shall see our selves ready to be arrested and summoned to appear without delay before God's great Tribunal Then if ever Conscience will be reflecting upon our State and Actions and when it shall find so much precious Time at best but lost and trifled away which should have been spent in glorifying God and working out our own Salvation what chideing Language may we expect to hear from it I am ready to tremble sometimes when I think what my own Conscience may have upon this Score then to charge me with Alass poor Creatures We make a shift to stop its Mouth now or to stop our Ears But if the Lord awake it then it will speak and so loudly as shall make us hear whether we will or no O Fool 's or somewhat worse that we are thus to lay in for our own tormenting Grief and Sorrow Now shall we not be wiser for the future and live more like to dying Men O that we could bring our Hearts to this before we venture upon any thing to think seriously with our Selves will this be comfortable to me at the reckoning Shall I like to hear of this another day from my own Conscience or from the supream Judge of quick and dead Now if there be any sense or weight in the Questions I have here Propounded I hope you will not think it an unreasonable Request if I again earnestly entreat for your serious Thoughts about them And that you would not proceed farther till you can answer them to God and your own Consciences one thing more with which I conclude You cannot deny but it is doubtful and disputable whether this Game be lawful or no Whereas I dare affirm and could if need was sufficiently prove on the other hand that without doubt it may lawfully be forborn and this is a good Rule for your Observation here In dubiis opportet sequi partem tatiorem In doubtful Cases we must take that way which is safest Since the writing of this I am satisfied that a Lot may be lawfully used in Games as well as in any other ordinary Affair and that your extraordinary Lot cannot be lawfully used in any Case how weighty soever except Persons have a divine Warrant for it But though I see and am ready to acknowledge my mistake in this Point yet am I of the same Mind I was before in reference to my own Practice here and I could heartily wish that all Professors especially would be very wary how they meddle with a Game so ordinarily abused and that is so full of Snares and Temptations that without extraordinary Caution they may as easily touch Pitch and not be defiled as make use of it and not be some way or other insnared by it PIOUS LETTERS LETTER I. To C. F. under her Sore Relative Exercise June 28. 1684. Dear Cozen I Have been much concerned for you in my Thoughts since I saw you last I would be one of those that weep with them that weep and remember those that are in Adversity as being my self also in the Body and God forbid that I should not tenderly Pity and earnestly Pray for you in this your afflicted Condition though I have cause sadly to bewail it that there is so much of wretched Self in me which goes so far with me that while I am at ease I am little affected with the Hardships others undergo which plainly shews how far I am from the Life of holy Love There is a saying of wise King Solomon Prov. 27.9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart so doth the sweetness of a Man's friend by hearty councel O that I was in a capacity and had ability according to my hearty Desire to write or speak any thing which might tend to your Direction Support and Comfort O what pains should I think too great keeping within the limits of my calling to be laid out any way to promote the good of any poor Soul which my Lord and Saviour did so esteem as to think it worth dying for And seeing you have been pleased in a great measure to open your Case to me whom you shall ever find very faithful I will humbly adventure though I am very conscious of my own Inability to do it effectually and verily I think I have more need to come to you to learn as multitudes of Years encrease Wisdom and Experience yet I shall give you my poor confused Thoughts what we should learn from and how we ought to carry under afflictive Providences and I hope you will accept of my sincere Desires though I fall very short in Performance in the day of Adversity consider A day of Affliction ought to be a day of great Thoughtfulness with us consider God doth not Afflict us willingly without there be great need for it and he hath wise and gracious End 's in what he doth His Rod when ever laid upon our backs hath a loud voice in it O that we had diligent and tractable Hearts in hearkening to and obeying it Learning some spiritual Lessons from every the least twig thereof O what abundance of spiritual Good might we thus extract out of our greatest Evils And what a multitude of Strokes might we thus prevent And that you and I may be so wise let us put the following Particulars into practice 1st See we more and more of the evil of Sin and hate and mortify it Sin is the greatest Evil and the procuring Cause of all those
to the Grave I question not but Death is triping up the Heels of some young Persons about you in D. as well as here let us take warning by them and learn to prize and improve our precious Time I could wish you knew what sad Reflections I have upon my self for the mispent of time that I should have lived so long to so little Purpose Now dear S. you have several of those years before your Face if the Lord lengthen out your Life which alass are got behind my back and cannot be recalled O lay hold on this advantage and cut off the occasion of such sad Reflections now in time My Second advice is That you would keep up a constant Course of religious Duties and labour in them for sweet and sensible Communion with God I have suffered much by my neglect of Duties and by trifling in them O the long and sad interruptions of my Communion with God! O the sad effects of this Methinks sloath idleness and formality hath even cloathed my poor Soul with raggs Take heed S. take heed It can never be well with us when we are strange with God and live at a distance from him To live without God in the World is an Hell upon Earth O keep your Heart close to God in a course of Holy Duties be oft in God's walks and be not contented unless you meet with him there but alass while I am writing this methinks Conscience is whispering thou dost not follow this advice thy self as thou shouldst I must confess this is a Truth and a sad one but I think it is good Advice and I would fain have it better with me then it hath been in these respects or then it may at present be with me and besides I would have you better much better then my self therefore take and follow it my daily Prayers are for you the Lord be your God and Guide and everlasting Portion I am affectionately Your's I. B. LETTER XXV To T. W. My dear Friend METHINKS its long since I saw you and I cannot be quiet till I have imparted some of my Thoughts to you I doubt not but you have been wrestling with God for us in reference to our late Exercise methinks I feel that you and other dear Friends have been praying for us the Lord return your kindness and your prayers into your bosom double and may these lines farther engage them and also put a note of praise into your lips O love the Lord O praise the Lord for his goodness We can do little help us help us add your instrument say his goodness endureth for ever surely he hath not contended with his great Power nor withdrawn his supporting Arm we have been afflicted but he hath been with us in six Troubles and in seven he hath not forsaken us surely all his Paths are Mercy and Truth are not all things our's if we be Christ's Shall not nay is not this already working for our good Faith should and Heaven will make us see and say that God hath done all things well even just as we would have them trust his God let your dependance be upon him we have tried him and have found him very Faithful yea very Gracious and Merciful Blessed be the God of Patience the God of Meekness the God of all Grace and the God of all Comforts for what of these he hath given in at this needful time help us to make his praise Glorious and continue instant in Prayer for us that we may reap some special Benefit and that our Fruit may remain My dear Father besides his wonderful inward Supports and Joys hath had a greater freedom from his bodily Distempers at this time then he hath had for some years past bless God for that too I cannot tell you all his Mercies have been manifold have we not been full of his Goodness O may our hearts our lips our lives be full of his Praise Now what shall we render What projects for Jesus Christ now I will tell you of one when I see you which I would have your Assistance in think on me as to that great Affair of mine you know of I do not see but that Providence still smiles upon it and am apt to think it may not be long before it be put to an issue I am oft full of discouraging Fears about it pray for me and if providence do not yet cross it help me to call our great Friend to the Marriage him that turned their Water into Wine O a good guest would he be A guest did I say nay let him be an inhabitant pray him entreat him beseech him tell him I do not Complement with him But I forgot my self the Lord fill your Soul full of his Goodness and bless you in all your Ways I am your real affectionate Friend I. B. LETTER XXVI To my M. Dear M. I Have been deeply concerned for you for some time of late upon the account of that excessive trouble and sadness of Spirit which hath so sorely born you down of late and as it is my Duty so it would be greatly delightful to me could I but do any thing to help you against that which as it cannot but be displeasing unto God so also very Afflictive to your self and to all that love and tender you I was last week casting in my Thoughts for some Cordial for you and I hope the good Providence of God hath directed me to that which I have here sent you enclosed the God of all comfort bless and make it Effectual it is that which I have sometimes found a wonderful Virtue in my self and therefore I can the better recommend it to you will you promise me to read it over and not only now when you first receive it but whenever you find a fainting fit of Sorrow coming upon you Will you promise me to read it seriously and believingly Why then I dare give you leave to be sad and disconsolate if you can O that I knew but what argument to use with you or with God for you for you are never out of my praying Thoughts I dare not be unfaithful to you I must tell you plainly there is more Sin in it then you are aware of and it is the cause of much Sin I know it by too sad experience my self when I have sometimes been in your Case though then I could not see it alass things were hidden from me Again your Sorrow makes the Devil Merry O it pleaseth him he knows he cannot hurt you hereafter it will be out of his Hands therefore he takes delight in your disquiet here and I tell you mark it for its that I have experienced every time you indulge your self in it will he get the stronger hank upon you which you will be less able to shake off Herein you are very ingenious to your self you know not what inward Peace it deprives you of it quenches the Spirit then it greatly injures you as to your outward